Posts by Kevin O'Reilly

The notion of measurement of this attractiveness may be completely flawed!

The whole question about attractiveness to mosquitoes is based on the assumption that people that observe more itchy bites on themselves have been bitten more and are hence more attractive to mosquitoes. However this may be a flawed assumption!

Consider the extreme case where locals of a given mosquito-ridden region appear never to be bitten as they never have itchy red bite marks. One might assume that they are completely unattractive to the mosquitoes with 'local' blood or something.

In fact far more likely (if it has not already been proven) is that the bodies of the locals do not react to the bites in the same way having become so used to the anti-coagulants injected by the mosquitoes which are responsible for the irritation.

In the same way it may simply be that those who perceive themselves as less attractive to mosquitoes by virtue of the fact that they notice far less irritating red itchy bites may in fact just have less sensitivity to the anti-coagulants from the mosquitoes. It may be that they, as well as all the locals, get bitten just as much but just don't notice it!